The Influence of Hugo Grotius' Thoughts on the Contemporary Law of Armed Conflicts

There are numerous rules and principles in the law of armed conflicts today that are reflected in the Charter of the United Nations, the Geneva Conventions and other international instruments. The role of valuable notions of theorists cannot be denied. Hugo Grotius is one of the theoreticians in the sphere of “Jus ad bellum” and “Jus in bello” who has attempted to regulate wars. In this study, we will use a descriptive-analytical approach to answer the questions of what Grotius's view about state sovereignty and the Just causes to start war was, and also how much the principles and rules of contemporary law of armed conflicts has been affected by Grotius' thoughts. Grotius considers the law of nations to be based on the consent of states, and just causes of war, in his view, include defense, compensation, and punishment. The principles that exist today in the law of armed conflicts, such as the principles of proportionality and necessity, sovereign equality of states and non-interference, as well as humanitarian intervention in the event of a gross violation of human rights, have existed in Grotius's thought. Also, the human behaviors that require the humanitarian rights of states to adhere to the general principles of humanity in wars are to some extent influenced by his ideas.

The Influence of Hugo Grotius' Thoughts on the Contemporary Law of Armed Conflicts Keywords:

State Sovereignty , Humanitarian Law , Natural law , Humanitarian Intervention